Abstract

Clupeidae, Teraponidae, Mugilidae, Apogonidae, Atherinidae and Gerreidae were the dominant families in the Peel-Harvey estuarine system, each contributing at least 8.9% to the total catch and together contributing 86.2%. Nine of the 15 most abundant fish species were marine species which entered the estuary; the other 6 were represented by populations in which the individuals were capable of passing through the whole of their life cycle within the estuary. Fish tend to move further away from the shallow banks near the shore with increasing age and size.